302 THE ENGLISH TURF 



In Hampton's year (1877) Newcastle Races were held on 

 the old course on the Town Moor, and on this particular 

 occasion partisanship between the three horses I have 

 named ran very high. The local feeling was all in favour 

 of the Northern -trained Glendale and Muscatel, but the 

 Russley stable was everywhere dreaded in those days, and 

 it was freely conjectured that Hampton would not have been 

 sent the long journey from Berkshire unless he had a great 

 chance. The Turk's Head Hotel in Newcastle was then the 

 headquarters of the sporting community, and annually on 

 the day of the chief race a well - known Northern turfite 

 of the time was accustomed to give a breakfast, or rather 

 luncheon, there. I well remember sitting next to Mr. Peck, 

 and how he shook my faith in Glendale by telling me that 

 Hampton was very likely to beat him. In truth the master 

 of Russley feared Muscatel more than Lord Durham's horse ; 

 but there he was wrong, as the two miles with the long 

 ascent to the winning-post found out a weak spot in 

 Muscatel, who had nothing to do with the finish. And what 

 a finish it was ! Hampton and Glendale singled themselves 

 out nearly a quarter of a mile from home, and came clean 

 away from their field, running locked together for something 

 like three hundred yards. So tight was the fit that the 

 crowd did not know which had won until the number went 

 up, and though the victory of Lord Durham's horse would 

 have been far more popular, Hampton was lustily cheered 

 by the huge attendance of spectators, who at Newcastle 

 were always quick to recognise merit in a horse and to cheer 

 the hero of a great performance. 



It was somewhat curious that Hampton should run the 

 best race of his life on the course where his great-grandam 

 Beeswing had gained so many successes. But it is quite 

 possible that a good deal of Hampton's gameness was 

 inherited from the famous old mare ; and it is a fact that 

 if there are one or two game spots in the pedigree of a 

 thoroughbred, those " spots " will show their influence in the 

 generations below them. 



Hampton was ridden in the race just described by Webb, 

 and the late Fred Archer had the mount on Glendale, whose 



